Resource:How to leverage regional and campus relationships to build win-win solutions

Introduction

While many communities, both in and outside of Universities, have resources available for innovators and entrepreneurs, barriers often arise the prevent the full utilization of these resources. Moreover, there are a  lot of individuals  and organizations with the same end goal in mind but because they want ownership of the process and its succsses they don’t collaborate. The key is to get the people to talk and cooperate.

Getting Started

When one starts the process of connecting the dots in a community, they need to start with their own connections. As students and aspiring entreprneurs, we likely have many connections of our own or can utilize those of our mentors and institutions. Anywhere from personal references to combing LinkedIn and reaching out can get you where the conversation starts. 

Tips for Leverage

Even after you've contacted stakeholders and have a foothold amongst the various institutions pursuing the same goal, it may be difficult to get them to work together or even to keep them cognizant of thier shared goal. It isn't uncommon to try and coordinate collaboration over the phone and email and see it fall apart. It is much more pragmatic to get people together in person. When they can meet or go and see the other resources available, there is a significantly higher chance they'll decide to start and stay in a relationship.

How to Leverage 

Once relationships have started to form, the question remains how to leverage them. It can prove hazardous to try everything at once. That could strain the relationship and everextend resources. Instead, you could focus on where your passion is while keeping the big picture in mind. For instance, Milwaukee, WI area had lots of maker spaces that could be integrated, but that was a far off goal.  In the short term, the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee University Innovaitons Fellows got groups to collaborate on a series of innovation themed events like TEDx and the Three Day Startup. As the relationships, and the accompanying trust, develop, they will move toward their bigger, loftier goals.